Automatic coupling for steam-pipe



-`(No Model.)

J. WALKER. AUTOMATIC OUPLING-FOR STEAM PIPES.

110.416.767. Paienteaneo. 1o. 1889.

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UNITED STATES i vPATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH VALKER, OF CLARKS GREEN, PENNSIYLVANIA.V

AUTOMATIC COUPLING FOR STEAM-PIPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 416,767, dated December 10, l1889.

Application filed November 20, 1888. Serial No. 291,337. (No model.)

T all whom t 17mg/ concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH WALKER, of Clarks Green, in the county of Lackawanna and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Couplings for Steam-Pipes; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention has for its object to provide an automatic coupling for steam-pipes, adapted vmore especially for use in connection with those systems of railroad-'car heating in which steam from the locomotive-boiler is conveyed by pipes throughout the train for the purpose of heating the said cars; and it consists in a novel construction and combination of parts, such as will be hereinafter particularly described'and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents a longitudinal Vertical section of a coupling constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 isa sectional View takenon the line x, Fig. l; Fig. 3, a plan view illustrating the manner in which the two valves of the coupling are kept together by spring-pressure. Fig. 4 is a side elevation showing .the manner of supporting the head. Fig. 5 is a front elevation of same.

Similar letters of reference in the several gures indicate the same parts.

Since each half of my coupling is an exact counterpart of every other half-coupling with which it is designed to co-operate, a detailed s description of one half only willbe necessary.

tends a guide-bar S, consisting of a steel bar, made, in practice, about two feet long and having its rear end fixed in a bracket Q,

bolted or otherwise secured to the underside of the car on a central line. vision the head is at all times guided to the true center by the action of the bar, and yet said bar will bend or yield to accommodate itself to any strain that it may be subjected to in the vicissitudes of service. y

On the head A are formed three bearings E, to each of which is secured the shank of a clutch-spring F by a clamp G and a bolt H, as seen in Fig 2. Each head is also provided with three projections A, between which open spaces are left for the accommodation of the three corresponding projections on a co-operating head. These projections are preferably tapered from base to point, and in each 'a recess or socket A2 is formed, with which the locking end F of one of the clutch-springs F is adapted to engage when the two parts of the coupling are brought together. The forward face of each of the sockets A2 and the corresponding face of each of the locking ends of the clutch-spring are beveled, so that the parts of the coupling may automatically uncouple without breakage when unusual longitudinal strain is brought to bear upon them, as in theuncoupling and separation of cars to which they are respectively attached. The rear end ofy the head A is tapped to receive the steampipe I, while at its front or outer end it is recessed, as at J, and tapped, as at A3, to receive a valve-seat K2 of the valve K. The forward extension K4 of the valve-seat constitutes a guard for the packing that is put inthe recess J. Said packing is formed in rings J', and a recess or shoulder is formed on the outermost ring for theaccommodation of an annular thin brass plate or ring L,

which is Vheld in place by three screws M,

passed through it and into the body, as shown in Fig. 2. The packing projects about an eighth of an inch beyond the face of the plate L, so that when the parts of the coupling are clutched together both halves of the packing are compressed and make a steamtight joint, while at the same time the outer ends of both valve-stems K, striking together, cause their respective valves to be unseated, thus allowing a free flow of steam to pass through. Small collars K5 are placed behind By this pro- IOO the heads of the valve-stems, so that the valves can only open a determinate distance and equally, and a spiral spring K is interposed between each valve and the bar B to assist in closing the valve when the parts of the coupling are separated and when the W pressure of steam is insufiicient.

' and screw-threaded, so as to be screwed onto the upper part of the head, as shown in Fig. 1. Then steam is turned on, the bar N, under the influence of the heat` expands and lengthens and closes tightly the aperture o, thus preventing any escape of steam; out when there is no steam in the pipes the contraction of said bar causes said aperture to be opened and any Water of' condensation that may have accumulated in the fitting O to be discharged. The fitting thusoperates as a trap, which is automatically discharged. when the steam is turned off. By screwing the bar N up or down its action can be regulated With nicety.

In practice I prefer to connect each part of my coupling' to piping having flexible joints, as at R R, Fig. 3, and to apply strong spiral springs-such as shown at T 'I-to keep the parts firmly pressed together when once coupled.

It is obvious that couplings constructed in accordance with my invention may be elnployed on systems of pipes tot conveying hot air, gas, or other gaseous or `duid bodies.

Having thus described my invention, what. I claim as new is- I. In a pipe-coupling, the combination, with the head and the guide-eye, ot the iiexible bar passing through the eye and mounted on a rigid base, substantially as described.

2. In a pipe-coupling, the combination, with the head connected to the lnain pipe with the passage through the same and the springpressed valve in said passage for automatically cutting off the supply from the main pipe, of the doWnWardly-extending trap on the head with the discharge-opening in the lower end, and the screw-opening in the Wall opposite said trap, and the expansion-bar passingthrough the screw-opening across the passage through the head and fitting within the trap for closing the discharge-openin g therein, substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

3. In a pipe-coupling, the combination, with the head and the valve and valve-seat having the extension Kl thereon, of the elastic packing surrounding the said extension and the removable plate or ring L overlying the outer edge ot' said packing and secured to the head, substantially as described.

JOSEPH VALKER. 

